Salt Lake City Mayor's Office

Mayor Ralph Becker

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Salt Lake City Mayor's Office

Mayor Ralph Becker

Livability Agenda

“Livability” has emerged as a unifying theme for framing our priorities. What makes one city more “livable” than another? It’s not one factor. And a livable city means many different things to different people. We focused on making our City one of the greenest, most accessible, most inclusive and most economically viable municipalities in the country.

City employees, neighborhood and civic advocates, business owners and organizations, religious and social institutions, and many others in our community have worked together to advance our common goals: social equality, public safety, access to and protection of natural areas and recreational opportunities, ease of mobility, efficient and accountable use of taxpayer money, urban agricultural opportunities, strong education systems, a healthy downtown and neighborhoods, and diverse arts and cultural offerings.

A critical but often overlooked aspect of a livable city is good governance. Fostering open and accessible government has been a particularly compelling theme throughout my time in office. I, along with my administration, remain deeply committed to strengthening the ways our City engage residents, visitors and businesses in the City decision making process.

The Resilient Economy

Our economic development approach will be primarily geography-based.

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The Resilient Economy

Our economic development approach will be primarily geography-based.

Revitalization of Downtown & Neighborhoods

Capital Investment & Resource Management

Small business support

Supporting the local food economy

Increasing housing options

Cultivating the right types of industry

Salt Lake City’s efforts and ability to attract big business do not minimize the role of smaller businesses that provide goods and services for residents and visitors on a very local scale. Building on four years of revamping our business assistance programs, Salt Lake City will pursue additional initiatives to bolster our local business community. This is particularly critical as we climb out of the recent economic downturn.

Salt Lake City in Motion

Mobility gives Salt Lake City momentum in its ascendancy.

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Salt Lake City in Motion

Mobility gives Salt Lake City momentum in its ascendancy.

Drive if you want to, but it shouldn't be your only option in town

Make travel in SLC 'user-friendly', comfortable & pleasant experience

Use mobility as a defining feature to compete in the 21st century economy & environment

Mobility offers connections for residents and visitors; connections to the downtown core, to our neighborhoods, our region, and adjacent natural areas like City Creek Canyon and the Jordan River, as well as to the world- class assets of the Wasatch Mountains and Great Salt Lake. The way we get around Salt Lake City is central to our identity as a City.

Changes in our transportation approach can create anxiety; we will endeavor to follow a meaningful public involvement process as we consider the consequences of the new designs mandated by Salt Lake City's Complete Streets program.

A Wise Energy Future & Quality Environment

Sustainability is a term that underpins what we do in Salt Lake City government.

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A Wise Energy Future & Quality Environment

Sustainability is a term that underpins what we do in Salt Lake City government.

Transform all City government buildings into net-zero facilities.

Streamline the process for accessing public funds for energy efficiency projects.

Protect our natural assets.

Move to zero waste.

Led the region toward better air quality.

Specific initiatives accelerate the efficient development and use of clean energy sources and other resources are of utmost importance as we look to the long-term livability of the region. Our spectacular natural setting and character, from the Wasatch Mountains to the Great Salt Lake and Great Basin, distinguish our community and offer unparalleled recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. Our spectacular natural setting and character, from the Wasatch Mountains to the Great Salt Lake and Great Basin, distinguish our community and offer unparalleled recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. We must capitalize on these assets and protect them for the long term. Our resources and innovative capacity should be used to make Salt Lake City the finest example of wise resource use in the nation.

Innovation & Celebration of Education

Salt Lake City is the beneficiary of two tremendous assets that provide a foundation for the development of a world-class education system.

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Innovation & Celebration of Education

Salt Lake City is the beneficiary of two tremendous assets that provide a foundation for the development of a world-class education system.

Ensuring Salt Lake City remains the state's leader in education.

Celebrating the education system in SLC.

Innovating toward a better way to educate.

One asset is the immense concentration of post-secondary and higher education opportunities in Salt Lake City (including the University of Utah, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College, Utah State University, a growing BYU Downtown campus and a plethora of trade schools and certification programs).

Currently, these institutions are seeing record enrollment levels as more and more students pick our City as their higher education destination. The second asset is a public school system that is the best in the state.

A Commitment to Equality & Opportunity

Salt Lake City government continues to elevate the protection of basic human rights for all Salt Lake City residents through policy, education, advocacy and celebration.

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A Commitment to Equality & Opportunity

Salt Lake City government continues to elevate the protection of basic human rights for all Salt Lake City residents through policy, education, advocacy and celebration.

Principles of diversity, equal protection, and accessibility are all critical to well-functioning municipal government, and they are fundamental elements of a livable city. Building on progress with the Mutual Commitment Registry, Nondiscrimination Ordinances and other initiatives to bring justice and equal opportunity to all City residents, we will continue with an aggressive agenda in support of these principles. We will focus in particular on engaging traditionally under-represented populations and developing policies and initiatives that combat poverty.

Enhancing the Artistic & Cultural Life

More than any other factors, artistic and cultural offerings define a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city.

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Enhancing the Artistic & Cultural Life

More than any other factors, artistic and cultural offerings define a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city.

Developing the audience.

Cultivating creators.

Evolving venues.

Increasing stakeholder capacity.

Municipal government should play an active role in supporting both infrastructure needs as well as the human capital that generates the creativity and unique energy of Salt Lake City’s longstanding tradition of arts and cultural offerings. We will focus on supporting and promoting a culturally engaged population in our City.

Enhancing these offerings and promoting them to new audiences will stimulate economic activity, support business recruitment and retention, increase residents’ satisfaction, and generally enhance the livability of Utah’s capital city.